Hook coupling



3 SHEETS-SHEET l.

FILED SEPT. 13| 1921.

Mar. 20, A1923.

F. W. HENHIK'SON. HOOK'COUPLING.

FILEDSEPT. 13. 1921.

3 .SHEETS-SHEET 2' WIN v5 N mw@ 5% MaI'. 20, 1923.. l 1,449,229.. F. .W. HENRIKSON. HOOK couPLlNG.

FILED SEPT. I3. 1921. '3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

L\ Nu Patented Z, i923.

FRANK W. HENBEKSON, 0F BTULBERRY, KANSAS.

HOOK COUPLENG.

Application filed. September 1 To all 'whom t may concern.'

Be it known that l. FRANK W. HnNnrK- SON, a citizen of the United States, residing' at Mulberry, in the county of Crawford, State of Kansas, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Hook Couplings, of which the following is a description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing and to the figures of reference marked thereon.

This invention relates to couplings for railway vehicles, and more particularly to an improved hook type coupling adapted for use on a railway motor for mine service.

At the present time, motors or locomotives for mine railways are either provided with a slot and pin coupling adapted to receive the link on the mine car when the coupling is to be effected, with a stationary hook adapted to receive the link of a chain connected to the mine car, and when it is necessary to uncouple the motor from the car, the operator by means of a cord on the motor, pulls the pin from its slot when a slack occurs, but when the motor is equipped with a hook, it is necessary for the opera tor to actually go between the cars to effect the uncoupling by hand.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide an improved hook coupling for a mine motor or locomotive, constructed and arranged to permit the automatic uncoupling of the link from the hook from any convenient point on the motor when a slack is created.

Another object of this invention is to pro.- vide a hook coupling of the type described having means to maintain the coupling link attached to the mine car in a predetermined position while causing the hook proper to shift away from and to release the link.

Still another feature of this invention resides in providing a hook coupling of the character described, provided with means for insuring the positioning of the link prior to the hook shifting operation so that the link is cleared of the hook and is freely released.

Yet a further object of this invention is to provide a common means for operating the link positioning means and the hook shifting mechanism and in proper sequence.

Another feature of the invention is to provide a keeper for preventing the inadvertent release of the link from the hook,

1921. Serial No. 590,388.

which keeper is automatically shifted out of position during the hook shifting movement whereby to provide a free release of the link.

An additional feature is to provide a counterbalanoed keeper normally positioned to close the mouth of the hook but which keeper is provided with a cam face adapted to be operated by a corresponding face on the shiftable hook whereby the keeper will be shifted to provide free release of the link from the shifted hook.

Another object of this invention is to provide a sliiftable kicker adapted to position the link preliminary to the dropping of the hook. 'i

Still a further phase of the invention resides in constructing` the kicker as link supporting members adapted to be projected outwardly on each side of the hook, which members have a relative movementtoward each other as they approach the outer portion of the hook to thereby compensate for the decreased thickness of the other portion of the hook and thus more effectively support the link prior to the dropping` of the hook to release the link.

Another object of this invention resides in the tumblerl for operating the kicker, which tumbler is provided with means for locking` the hook proper from movement until the kicker has been positioned.

A further feature of the invention resides in the spring means for returning the hook proper to normal elevated position.

Another phase of the invention resides in providing a hook having spring means for returning it to normal elevated position together' with an operating` lever for depressing the hook to free the link passing` therethrough.

Another feature of this invention resides 'in providing the operating lever with a lug adapted to operate in slots inthe kicker tumbler and in the hook head respectively, the slot in the hook head being substantially longer to permit the lug); to act upon and complete the operation of the kicker tumbler first.

A further feature of the invention resides in providing a spring connection between the dravvhead of the hook and the frame of the motor whereby to eliminate shock of the coupling operation.

Still another object resides in the unitary construction of the hook drawhead and guides for the draft springs, together with the plate for attaching the drawhead to the motor frame.

Another feature resides in providing an automatic spring connection between the operating lever and the operating mechanism' on the motor whereby the hook -is automatically operated on the creation yof a slack.

These and other objects will be obvious from a perusal of the following specifica.- tion taken in connection with the accoirpanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of the improved hook coupling;

Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof;

Fig. 3 is a side View taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2, showing the casing removed and the locking tumblers in locked position;

F ig. 4l `is a similar view with the locking tumblers unlocked so that the hook can drop;

Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 1 also showing the lever operating mechanism;

Fig. 6 is a section on the line 6-6 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 7 is an enlarged detail view of the kicker'and its operating means;

Fig. 8 is a rear View taken 'on the line 8-8 of Fig. 7;

Fig. 9 is an enlarged detail view of the kicker and its sliding guideway, and

Fig. 10 is a detail of the operating lever and its pin together with the kicker operating vtumbler and its open-ended slot into which operatively lits the pin on the operating lever.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, the frame 1 of the dinkey is apertured as at 2 to receive therethrough the drawbar 3. @n the inside, the frame has fastened to it the plate 4 by means of the bolts 5. The plate is formed with integral webs 6 forming a rectangular guideway for the slidable drawbar 3. On each side of this guideway,

1 the plate is formed with studs 7 and 3 -to center the springs 9 and 10. The remote end 11 of the drawbar is provided with a head 12 which constitutes an abutment between which and the plate l the springs 9 and 10 are coiled. Preferably, this head is likewise provided with centering studs for the springs. This draft device prevents the transmission of sudden shocks to the hook coupler incident to the coupling operation.

The outer end of the drawbar 3 is provided with la substantially enlarged drawba-r head 15 which for the mostpart is hollowed or cored out to house the coupling mechanism hereinafter described. The front of the head 15 is slotted as at 16 (see Fig. 2) and the hook proper 17 projects outwardlyl through this slot. The hook proper 17 is formed with a substantially circular portion 18 centrally bored to receive the pivot pin 19 which has its bearings in registering bores in the sides of the head 15. rThe rearmost portion of the hook proper 17 is formed with a cam 2() provided with an elongated slot 21 for a purpose soon to be described. A locking pin 22 passes through registering bores in the hook proper and in the pivot pin 19 to lock them together.

The outer end of this `pivo-tal shaft 19 is provided with a rigidly mounted locking tumbler 23 which is shaped to cooperate with a detent 24@ mounted on a shaft 25.v As illustrated, in Fig. 3,this shaft 25 is journaled in the body yof the head 15 and vin a dustproof casing 26 suitably fastened to the head. The inner yend of the shaft 25 has rigidly keyed thereto the kicker operating tumbler 27 which as shown in Fig. 10, is formed with a depending toe 23 and an open-ended slot 29 which slot is deep enough to permit the free upward' movement of the pin 33 therein as hereinafter described. For

the purpose of keying this tumbler to the inner end of shaft 25 it is formed with an angular bore 30 into which fits the correspondingly shaped end 31 of the shaft 25.

The tumbler 27 is operated by means of the vertical operating lever 32 which as shown in Fig. 10, ris provided with a laterally projecting pin 33 adapted to enter the recess 29 of the tumbler. When the lever 32 is raised, pin 3 3 forces tongue 28 forwardly. Fin 33 also projects laterally through the elongated slot 21 inthe rearmost cam portion 20 of the hook. Ilhis slot is made long enough so that when the lever 32 is lifted, the pin 33 will swing tumbler 27` about lits shaft 31 untilk the open end of the slot permits the pin 33 to move verticallyrupwardly, free ofthe tumbler 27 and continuing this movement, the ,pin in striking the end of the slot, raises upwardly the rear portion 2O of the hook to swingvthe hook on its pivot 19 thereby depressing the hook 17 from the position shown in Fig. 3, to that illustrated in Fig. d. It will be noted that the pin 33 must operate the tumbler 27 and its toe 2S before it swings the hook due to the open-ended slot 29 and the elongated slot 21. Journaled in the sides of the casing on a pivot pin 34 is the keeper 35, the forward tongue of which normally closes the mouth of the hook 17, being .held in such'position by a weighted rear portion 36. As the lever 32 is raised to swing the rear portion 13 of thehook upwardly to depress the hook portion '17, `the cam surface 2O wipes against a cooperative rcam surface 37 on the weighted end 36 to drop the hook to lowered position shown in Fig. 4l, the forward Cil tongue of the keeper being curved to conform to the curvature of the portion 18 of the hook. this position, the mouth of the hook is clear and the hook has been depressed as shown in Fig. 4. The hook returns by reason of its counterbalanced rear end when the hook 17 is raised.

The kicker is operated by the toe 28 of the tumbler 27. This kicker mechanism comprises a substantially U-shaped yoke including the two side hook members 38 and 39 and the cross member 40. The two side members are articulated at their rear ends to the cross bar 40 by the pivotal connections 41 and 42. This permits the forward hook ends of the ejector to move laterally together as they are slid forwardly in'their guideways 43 and 44 formed in the lowermost portion of the head. As shown, these guideways are inclined upwardly. ln order to positively shift these hook members 38 and 39 together, they are formed with the wedge-shaped outer surfaces 45 and 46 which cooperate with the narrowed ends 47 and 48 of the guideways. The kicker is shifted back and forth by means of the dependingtoe 28 on the tumbler 27 operating in the slot 49 in the cross bar 40. This lateral movement, together with the kicker arms 38 and 39 as they reach their outer position shown in Fig. 4, is to permit the arms to more closely hug the sides of the depressed hook. Tt is clear. that the upper portion 17 of the hook is thinner than the rearmost portions.

The upper portion of the vertical operating lever 32 is formed with an eye pivotally connecting` with an L-shaped arm 50 rigidly connected to an oscillatable rod 51 mounted in bearings 52 and 53 on they frame of the dinkey above the hook. This rod 51 in turn is oscillatedby means of lever 54 loose thereon and running to any suitable operating` mechanism located at a convenient point on the dinkey. lod 51 is provided with the coil spring 55 which is fast at one end to rod 51 and at the other end to the rod 54 so that if rod 54 is operated and the coupling is carrying a load, the spring will be put under tension. This permits the automatic raising of the lever 32 to operate the hook wherever a slack is created. Tt will be noted that the slotinthe casing` through which the rod 32 projects, is wide enough to permit relative backward and forward movement of the head and the rod 32, whereby to form a lost motion connection to compensate for the pull on the drawhead without affecting one'ation of the rod 32.

Tn such an operation, the lever is lifted thereby throwing the tumbler toe 28 forwardly to slide th kickers 38 and 39 upwardly. When the open slot 29 frees pin 33 of lever 32, the pin slides in the slot 21 and depresses the hook. Simultaneously tra with the oscillation of the tumbler 27 and toe 28, the shaft 25 will be operated to oscillate the locking detent 24 so that by the time it clears the side face of locking tumbler 23, as illustrated in Fig. 4, it will then permit the free oscillation of the tumbler 23 which is rigid with thepivot shaft 19 thereby permitting the depression of the head. Thus the head cannot be dropped until the kicker is slid forward. This direct lock is in addition to the locking function of the pin 33 cooperating with the open-ended slot 29 and the elongated slot 21.

l/Vhen the kicker is projected forwardly and upwardly it comes under he link L of the mine car and forms a support so that this link cannot drop. Now, when the hook 1'? drops as in Fig. 4, the link is perfectly free to slide out.

Tn order to positively lift the hook 17, the side of the casing is provided with a housing for the coil spring 56 which has one end fast to shaft 19 and the other end fast to the casing. This housing is enclosed with a dust-oroof cover 57.

Tt wir be obvious that minor changes in the details of construction and the arrangement of the parts may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, what T claim as new and desire to secure by Letters-Patent, is r- 1. Tn combination with the drawbar of a dinkey or the like, a head mounted on said drawbar, a shiftable hook and kicker mechmounted in said head, an operating lever, and means for operating said hook and kicker mechanism on the operation of said lever.

2. Tn combination with the drawbar of a dinkey or the like, va head mounted on said drawbar, shiftable hook and kicker mechanism mounted in said head, an operating lever, and means for automatically operating` said hook and kicker mechanism from said lever on the creation of a slack.

3. Tn combination with the drawbar of av dinkey or the like, a head mounted on said drawbar', a depressible hook pivotally mounted in said head, a shiftable kicker mounted in said head for supporting the link when the hook is depressed, an operating lever,

llO

hook in sequence, and means for preventing the operation of said hook before the shiftingof said kicker.

5. ln combination with the drawbar of a dinkey or the like, a head mounted on said drawbar, a depressible hook pivotally mounted in said head, al shiftable kicker mounted in said head for supporting said link, when said hook is'depressed, an operating lever having an actuating` pin, a tumbler journaled for oscillation in said'head and formed with an open ended slot adapted to kreceive said pin, said hook having a rear portion formed lwith an elongated slotV adapted to receive said pin,-a connection'between said tumbler and said kicker, said pin and cooperating slots in said tumbler and hook being constructed and arranged to insure the operation of said kicker bysaid lever before the operation of said hook. y

6. in lcon'ibination with the drawbar of a dinkey or the like, a head mounted on said 'drawbaig a depressible hook. pivoted `in said head, a shiftable kicker mounted in said head for supporting said linkon the depression of said hook, an operatingV lever having an 'actuating pin, a'tumbler oscillatably journaled in said head and formed with a depending` toe connected to said kicker and formed with an open ended slot, said hook having a Aportion formed with an elongated slot adapted to receive said pin whereby on elevation of said lever said pin operates saidV .tumbler while sliding in the elongated slot of said hook and thereafter operates said vhook by Contact with the end of said elongated slot, a shiftable locking detent on said tumbler shaft and a shiftable locking tumbler on the pivotal shaft of said hook, said detent and said tumbler being constructed and arranged to prevent oscillation of ysaid hook until after the operation'of said kicker.

7. ln combination with the drawbar of a 7 dinke' or the like a head connected ythereto .Y i a a hook pivoted to said headfor-oscillation about a horizontal axis, ay keeper normally adapted to close the mouth of said hook, means to depress said hook, and means to depress said keeper on the depression of said hook.

' 8. In combination with the drawbar of a dinkey or the like, a head lconnected thereto, hook pivoted tosaid head for oscillation about a horizontal axis, a keeper normally adapted to close the mouth of said hook, means to depress said hook, and means to 'depress said keeper on the depression of .said hook, said keeper having a weighted portionl adapted to return it to position on the elevation of said hook.v

ln combination with the draw-bar of :a

dinkey or the like, a head connected thereto,

a hook pivoted to said head' for oscillation about a horizontal axis and provided with a cam portiom'a keeper normally adapted to close the mouth of said hook, means to depress said'hook,` said cam portion on said a depressible hook pivoted in said head, a`

kicker vhaving arms adapted to be projected toward the front portion of said hook on each side thereof to support the link ywhen the hook is depressed, means to depress said hook, and means to shift said kicker arms relatively inwardly toward said vhook as they are projectedwhereby tosnugly hug the thinner portion of said hook.y

1l. lin combination with the drawbar of a `dinkey or the like, a head connected thereto, a depressible hook pivoted within said head, a kicker comprising'arms sliding in guideways in said head land adapted to be projected toward the front of said hook to sup port the link vwhen the hook 'is depressed, means to project the arms and to depress the hook, said arms having cam faces thereon yadapted to cooperate with the rguideways to force said arms relatively together toward said hook.

12. ln combination with the drawbar of a dinkey or the like, ahead connected thereto, a depressible hook pivoted within said head, kicker mechanism mounted in said head, an operating lever, means forv shifting said kicker mechanism outwardly .and for depressing said hook on the elevation of said lbetween saidv head and said plate, a depressible hook mounted onthe outer end of said drawbar, and an opera-ting lever adapted to depress saidhook, and means lfor operating said lever lfrom a convenient `point on the dinkey.

ln testimony whereof, l affix my signature.

FRANK w. Henriksen 

